• MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.), a 2012 national semifinalist, will travel to Lamoni, Iowa, to face off against Graceland (Iowa) in Heart of America Athletic Conference play. • When the teams last met, in a regular-season match on Oct. 6, 2012, they battled to a 1-1 tie after a Tyler Hageman equalizer in the 85th minute for MidAmerica Nazarene. • MidAmerica Nazarene, which was ranked No. 4 in the preseason poll after losing to eventual runner-up Mobile (Ala.) in the national championship semifinals, has been ranked in every Men’s Soccer Coaches’ Top 25 poll of 2013. This season, the Pioneers have suffered losses to current No. 6 Oklahoma Wesleyan, which was No. 3 in the first Modified Ratings Percentage Index (MRPI), and Westminster (Utah). • Graceland, which has not been ranked since Nov. 1, 2011, has faced a tough schedule in the early going. The Jackets have lost five games this season—four of them to teams that are currently ranked among the Top 25 nationally: No. 1 Hastings (Neb.), No. 5 Ashford (Iowa), No. 9 Grand View (Iowa) and No. 13 Hannibal- LaGrange (Mo.). • This season, MidAmerica Nazarene is trying to make its third-straight national championship tournament appearance and just its fourth in program history. Graceland is attempting to make its first national championship tournament since 2007. • MidAmerica Nazarene lost four of its top five scorers and double-digit point getters from 2012. Key losses for the Pioneers include: Trent Remmich, who led the team in goals (12) and points (26) and was among the NAIA leaders in shots per game (4th, 5.3), Luke Pontin, who was third on the team in goals (5) and points (17) and second on the team in assists (7), Gyer Vierthaler, who led the team in assists (9) and tied for fourth on the team in points (11) and Kalev Saarna, who was fourth on the team in goals and tied for fourth on the team in points (11). Sophomore forward Eddie Morales is the biggest offensive threat to return for MidAmerica Nazarene. He ranked second on the team in goals (8) and points (22) and third on the team in assists (6) last season. But, the most significant returner for the Pioneers is senior goaltender Chris Ericksson, who was an Honorable Mention for NAIA All-America honors last season and ranked fifth in the NAIA in goals against per game (.75). • Graceland returns four of its top five scorers, assist men and point getters from an offense that mustered just 24 goals in 2012. Forward Mario Ayala, who was second on the team in assists (3) and third on the team in points (7), is the lone notable loss for the Jackets. Key returners for Graceland include: Yacine Hamchaoui, who led the team in goals (6) and was second on the team in points (14), Andy Quintanilla, who led the team in assists (6) and points (16) and was second on the team in goals (5), Brandon Beresford, who accumulated six points, and Matheus Miranda, who was third on the team in goals (3). • Sophomore forward Lucas Machado leads MidAmerica Nazarene with four goals on the season. Senior midfielders Andy Quintanilla and Brandon Beresford are tied for the Graceland lead with four goals each. Goaltender Chris Ericksson of MidAmerica Nazarene again ranks among the NAIA leaders in goals against per game (9th, .53) and the Pioneers lead the NAIA in shutouts (6). • MidAmerica Nazarene went 13-2-9 last season, including a 4-1-2 mark in conference play. In true road games this year, the Pioneers are 3-2-0. • Graceland went 6-10-1 in 2012 and was 2-4-1 against conference opponents. The Jackets are 3-2-0 at home this season. • To watch the live stream of the Tourbeau's National Men's Soccer Game of the Week, presented by NSCAA and Admiral Soccer, click here. • To view the complete list of Tourbeau's National Men's Soccer Games of the Week, presented by NSCAA and Admiral Soccer, click here.

This Week Around the Top 25• No. 1 Hastings (Neb.) suffered its first loss of the season, falling 3-1 to unranked Bellevue (Neb.) on Wednesday, Sept. 25. The Bruins were led by junior forward Rob Jackson, who scored two goals including what would prove to be the game-winner. • There are four newcomers to the Top 25 this week: No. 20 Wayland Baptist (Texas), No. 24 Aquinas (Mich.), No. 25 (tie) Bryan (Tenn.) and No. 25 (tie) Baker (Kan.). Kansas Wesleyan, Georgia Gwinnett and Thomas (Ga.) fell out of the Top 25.• Last week, there were six Top 25 matchups and three games against opponents who received votes in the coaches’ poll. Top 25 teams went 2-1-0 against opponents who received votes and 20-5-2 against unranked opponents. • This week of Sept. 23-29 features 23 of the Top 25 teams in action, including two Top 25 matchups: o Tuesday – No. 10 Missouri Valley tied No. 5 Ashford (Iowa), 1-1 o Thursday – No. 4 Belhaven (Miss.) at No. 12 Southern Poly (Ga.) • This week also features five games that pit Top 25 teams against teams who received votes in the third regular-season coaches’ poll: o Wednesday – (RV) Martin Methodist (Tenn.) def. No. 19 Bethel (Tenn.), 2-1 o Thursday – (RV) Kansas Wesleyan at No. 6 Oklahoma Wesleyan o Saturday – (RV) William Carey (Miss.) at No. 12 Southern Poly (Ga.) o Saturday – No. 17 Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) at (RV) Martin Methodist (Tenn.) o Saturday – No. 23 Cal State San Marcos vs. (RV) Rocky Mountain (Mont.) in Salt Lake City, Utah• For the NAIA Men’s Soccer Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – No. 3, click here.

For the Record*• Wayland Baptist earned its first Top 25 ranking, dating back to 2000, in the Men’s Soccer Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – No. 3. The Pioneers, who are 5-1-1 on the season, are currently ranked No. 20. • Cal State San Marcos earned its first Top 25 ranking, dating back to 2000, in the Men’s Soccer Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – No. 2. The Cougars, who are 6-1-2 on the season, are currently ranked No. 23. • The Men’s Soccer Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – No. 1 marked the first time in school history that Georgia Gwinnett received votes in a national coaches’ poll in any sport. In the Men’s Soccer Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – No. 2, the Grizzlies earned the No. 24 spot, their first Top 25 ranking in school history. • Dean Johnson secured a place in the NAIA Regular Season record book with his six-assist and 18-point performance in Pikeville’s (Ky.) 15-0 victory over NCCAA Johnson (Tenn.) on Aug. 31. Johnson’s stat line tied him for second all-time in assists and points in an individual regular season NAIA contest. • Marymount (Calif.) played its way into the NAIA Regular Season record book with its 17-assist performance against Pacific Union (Calif.) on Aug. 31. The team’s 17 assists are good for fifth all-time in an individual regular season NAIA contest. The Mariners also scored 16 goals in the game, bringing the team’s point total for the contest to 49. • Jimmy Hampton of Science and Arts (Okla.), Ron Pulvers of Cal State San Marcos, Wulf Koch of Auburn Montgomery (Ala.) and Tom Maxon of Morningside (Iowa) all sit within striking distance of the 200 career win plateau this season. Hampton is the closest of the quartet, holding strong at 198 career victories after both of the Drovers games were cancelled due to rain last weekend. Hampton will have an opportunity to add to his win total on Friday, when his Drovers travel to Oklahoma Baptist. There are 17 active coaches with 200 or more wins and 14 of those coaches have accumulated all of their wins with one NAIA program. • Warner Pacific (Ore.) head coach Bernie Fagan and Hastings (Neb.) head coach Chris Kranjc could each move into the Top 25 on the Men’s Soccer Coaches All-Time Wins list this year. Fagan, who opened the season with 253 career victories, is now just five wins away from Dwain Hartzler’s career mark of 259 wins. Hartzler is currently ranked No. 25 on the all-time wins list. Kranjc, who began the year with 246 career victories, needs just six more to tie Hartzler. Both Fagan (10th) and Kranjc (11th) are among the Top 25 on the Men’s Soccer Coaches Active Wins list. • Goshen (Ind.) is approaching the 500-win plateau. The Maple Leafs have 495 all-time wins heading into Saturday’s contest against Grace (Ind.). Menlo (Calif.) is nearing the 400-win mark. The Oaks have 394 all-time wins going into Sunday’s game at Marymount (Calif.).

National Statistics*• Oliver Gore of (RV) Rocky Mountain (Mont.), who was named the NAIA Men’s Soccer National Offensive Player of the Week for Sept. 2-8, and Hanzel Rodriguez of Arizona Christian share the NAIA lead in goals (15). Gore also leads the nation in points (36) and Rodriguez ranks second (32).• Scott Smith of Marymount (Calif.) sits alone atop the NAIA leaderboard in assists (10). Dean Johnson of Pikeville (Ky.) trails him with nine assists. • Jon Wonsewith of Missouri Baptist leads the nation in game-winning goals (5). Eight players are tied for second in the NAIA with four each. • Two goaltenders enter Thursday with a 0.00 goals against average: Jordan Farr of Corban (Ore.) and Conner Braun of Brescia (Ky.). Farr has started two games in goal for the Warriors, but has appeared in five of Corban’s six games, spending 360 minutes in net. Braun has spent 275 minutes in goal for the Bearcats. • Jake Hiance of Cincinnati Christian (Ohio) leads the nation with 119 saves in ten games for the Eagles. • Three teams remain unbeaten: No. 8 Biola (Calif.) (6-0-1), unranked Corban (Ore.) (6-0-0) and unranked Webber International (Fla.) (3-0-0). • Marian (Ind.) leads all teams with 41 goals and is second in the NAIA with 31 assists in ten matches this season. Nineteen different players have tallied a goal or an assist for the Knights. Marymount (Calif.) leads the NAIA in assists (34) and is tied with Great Falls (Mont.) for second in goals (38). • No. 15 MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) and No. 18 Indiana Wesleyan have recorded an NAIA-best six shutouts this season. • For a complete look at the NAIA statistical leaders, click here.

*According to DakStats and team submission of statistics.

Looking Ahead to the National Championship• The 55th annual National Championship will take place in Montgomery, Ala. This is the fourth-straight year the championship will be held in the state of Alabama with the 2010-11 events being held in Orange Beach, Ala., and the 2012 championship also taking place in Montgomery, Ala. The 2013 championship will be contested from Dec. 2-7 at the Emory Folmar YMCA Soccer Complex, with opening round games taking place on Nov. 23 at on-campus sites.